We have been living with the fallout from the 2016 Referendum for more years than many of us would care to admit to. After the General Election last December, many really did think that, followed by our exit from the EU we really had reached the “end of the beginning”. However, who would have thought […]
Op-eds
Build Back Fairer: the new mantra for now
Embed from Getty Images This title is about health equity issues, however, not building better houses. Professor Sir Michael Marmot, author of the Marmot Review – Health Equity in England Ten Years On which was published in February this year, has led a follow-up study called Build Back Fairer: The Covid-19 Marmot Review. The new […]
Munira Wilson leads parliamentary debate on Excluded
It’s a year today since Munira Wilson was elected as MP for Twickenham. Since then, she has held one of the most stressful roles, as Health Spokesperson, holding the Government to account for its often reckless and chaotic handling of the Coronavirus pandemic. Like all other MPs, though, she will have a lot of casework […]
Thinking about both sides of the letterbox
I was born in the same year as Donald Trump and Dolly Parton. No problems deciding which is one of my favourite Americans! Actually I was born on exactly the same day as the late Freddie Mercury (infinitely more Dolly than Donald). Do the sums and you will realise that I was surprised to find […]
The Late Late Toy Show – an Irish institution
This Friday, Christmas in Ireland will officially begin. The institution that is The Late Late Toy Show will be aired live on RTE One and internationally on the RTE Player. It is the job of the Irish emigrant to explain to her non-Irish friends exactly what the appeal of The Toy Show is. Why do […]
Why hygiene, testing and shielding are better than lockdown and furlough
We need the current argument between Westminster and Manchester on the best strategy to tackle coronavirus. The issues involved need wider informed debate than has so far been allowed. Both government and science should accept challenge, and refine policy accordingly. We are told that policy is science-led and evidence-based. But extensive use continues to be […]
Reflections on World Mental Health Day
Back in 2007, when Nick Clegg made mental health the focus of his first major speech as Lib Dem Leader, it was pretty groundbreaking. And we walked the walk as well as talked the talk. Arguably the most successful part of our time in coalition was Norman Lamb’s work as mental health minister. Not only […]
Exam Results and Gradings
Students and teachers are often disappointed with some or all of their grades, and this will always be so. Don’t let us be consoled by this and dismiss the anxiety over grades as a temporary, COVID driven problem requiring only an immediate, pragmatic solution. I was for several years in the early 2000s, a senior […]
The geopolitics of COVID-19: Can liberalism win the day?
Embed from Getty Images The pandemic is an unprecedented global challenge affecting all humanity, which is suffering the consequences at very considerable social and economic cost. The world was already in disorder before COVID-19 made its appearance but the crisis has undoubtedly deepened the great power rivalry between China and the U.S., aggravated by a […]
Will the next LibDem Leader have national ballot appeal?
Who are the Liberal Democrats? How far does their leader embody their party? In what way would their leader be a desirable UK Prime Minister? As Liberal Democrats go to the polls to elect a leader these should be the questions members of the party have at the front and centre of their minds. These […]